Author: claimsbot

1. A reacting apparatus comprising:
a reactor including a reacting section to which a reactant is supplied to cause a reaction of the reactant;
one or a plurality of terminal section provided in the reacting section; and
one or a plurality of conductive component including electrically conductive material, one end of which is connected to any one of the terminal section of the reactor,

wherein
at least one of the conductive component has a flow path provided inside thereof; and
at least a portion of the reactant is supplied to the reactor through the flow path.
2. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cross section of the conductive component orthogonal to an extending direction is any one of rectangular, triangular or circular.
3. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conductive component includes a stress relieving structure with at least one of bending sections.
4. The reacting apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a heat insulating container which accommodates the reactor in which a pressure inside is lower than atmospheric pressure, wherein
the other end of the conductive component is drawn outside from the wall surface of the heat insulating container, and
the stress relieving structure is provided inside the heat insulating container between the wall surface and the terminal section of the reactor.
5. The reacting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the conductive component is bent in a serpentine shape in the stress relieving structure.
6. The reacting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the reactant includes fuel and an oxidizing agent,
the reactor includes a power generating cell to generate electric power with an electrochemical reaction of the fuel and the oxidizing agent,
the terminal section is a positive output terminal and a negative output terminal to output the electric power generated in the power generating cell,
the conductive component is an output electrode, one end of which is connected to the positive output terminal or the negative output terminal, and the electric power generated in the power generating cell is output from the other end, and
at least one of the output electrode has the flow path inside thereof and at least one of the fuel and the oxidizing agent is supplied to the power generating cell through the flow path.
7. The reacting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a solid oxide electrolyte is used in the power generating cell.
8. The reacting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the reactor further includes a combustor to burn an unreacted fuel gas discharged from the electric power generation cell to heat the electric power generation cell.
9. The reacting apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a heat insulating container which accommodates the power generating cell and where a pressure inside is lower than atmospheric pressure, and wherein the other end of the output electrode is drawn outside from a wall surface of the heat insulating container.
10. The reacting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a reformer, which is accommodated in the heat insulating container, and to which a raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen is supplied to generate the fuel from the raw fuel with heat propagated from the power generating cell.
11. The reacting apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising,
a reformer, which is accommodated in the heat insulating container, and to which a raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen is supplied to generate the fuel from the raw fuel with heat propagated from the power generating cell;
a first coupling section provided with a flow path to supply the raw fuel to the reformer from outside, in which one end penetrates a wall surface of the heat insulating container and is drawn outside and the other end is connected to the reformer; and
a second coupling section provided with a flow path to supply the fuel generated by the reformer to the power generating cell, in which one end is connected to the reformer, and the other end is connected to the power generating cell, wherein
the oxidizing agent is supplied to the power generating cell through the flow path of the output electrode.
12. The reacting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the raw fuel is a liquid, and in the first coupling section a vaporizer is provided to vaporize the raw fuel with the heat propagated from the reformer and to supply the vaporized raw fuel to the reformer.
13. The reacting apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the first coupling section, the reformer, the second coupling section and the output electrode are formed from Ni-based alloy.
14. A reacting apparatus comprising:
a heat insulating container in which a pressure inside is lower than atmospheric pressure;
a reactor which is accommodated in the heat insulating container and including a reacting section to which a reactant is supplied to cause a reaction of the reactant;
one or a plurality of terminal section provided in the reacting section; and
one or a plurality of conductive component including electrically conductive material, one end of the conductive component being connected to any one of the terminal section of the reactor and the other end is drawn outside from a wall surface of the heat insulating container,

wherein
at least one of the conductive component has a flow path provided inside thereof; and
at least a portion of the reactant is supplied to the reactor through the flow path.
15. The reacting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the conductive component includes a stress relieving structure with at least one of bending sections which is provided inside the heat insulating container between the wall surface and the terminal section of the power generating cell.
16. The reacting apparatus according to claim 14, wherein
the reactant includes fuel and an oxidizing agent,
the reformer includes a power generating cell to generate electric power with an electrochemical reaction of the fuel and the oxidizing agent,
the terminal section is a positive output terminal and a negative output terminal to output the electric power generated in the power generating cell,
at least one of the conductive component is an output electrode, one end of which is connected to the positive output terminal or the negative output terminal, and the electric power generated in the power generating cell is output from the other end, and
at least one of the output electrode has the flow path inside thereof and at least one of the fuel and the oxidizing agent is supplied to the power generating cell through the flow path.
17. The reacting apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the reactor includes a reformer to which a raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen is supplied to generate the fuel from the raw fuel with heat propagated from the power generating cell.
18. The reacting apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising,
a reformer, which is accommodated in the heat insulating container, and to which a raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen is supplied to generate the fuel from the raw fuel with heat propagated from the power generating cell;
a first coupling section provided with a flow path to supply the raw fuel to the reformer from outside, in which one end penetrates a wall surface of the heat insulating container and is drawn outside and the other end is connected to the reformer; and
a second coupling section provided with a flow path to supply the fuel generated by the reformer to the power generating cell, in which one end is connected to the reformer, and the other end is connected to the power generating cell, and wherein
the oxidizing agent is supplied to the power generating cell through the flow path of the output electrode.
19. The reacting apparatus according to claim 16, wherein a solid oxide electrolyte is used in the power generating cell.
20. An electronic device, comprising:
a power generating cell to which fuel and an oxidizing agent is supplied to generate electric power with an electrochemical reaction of the fuel and the oxidizing agent, and which includes a positive output terminal and a negative output terminal to output the generated electric power;
a plurality of output electrodes to output electric power generated in the power generating cell, each of which includes electrically conductive material, one end of each of which is connected to the positive output terminal or the negative output terminal; and
a load driven by the electric power output from the output electrodes, wherein
at least one of the output electrodes has a flow path provided inside thereof to supply at least one of the fuel and the oxidizing agent to the power generating cell.
21. The electronic device according to claim 20, further comprising a heat insulating container which accommodates the power generating cell and where a pressure inside is lower than atmospheric pressure, wherein the other end of the output electrode is drawn outside from a wall surface of the heat insulating container.
22. The electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the output electrode includes a stress relieving structure with at least one of bending sections inside the heat insulating container between the wall surface and the terminal section of the power generating cell.
23. The electronic device according to claim 21, wherein a solid oxide electrolyte is used in the power generating cell.
24. The electronic device according to claim 21, further comprising a reformer, accommodated in the heat insulating container, to which a raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen is supplied to generate the fuel from the raw fuel with heat propagated from the power generating cell.
25. The electronic device according to claim 21, further comprising,
a reformer, which is accommodated in the heat insulating container, and to which a raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen is supplied to generate the fuel from the raw fuel with heat propagated from the power generating cell;
a first coupling section provided with a flow path to supply the raw fuel to the reformer, in which one end penetrates the wall surface of the heat insulating container and is drawn outside and the other end is connected to the reformer; and
a second coupling section provided with a flow path to supply the fuel generated by the reformer to the power generating cell, in which one end is connected to the reformer, and the other end is connected to the power generating cell, wherein
the oxidizing agent is supplied to the power generating cell through the flow path of the output electrode.
26. The reforming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the reactant includes raw fuel having a composition including hydrogen,
the reactor includes a reformer to generate fuel including a hydrogen molecule from the raw fuel and an electric heater to heat the reformer,
the terminal section is input terminals provided on both ends of the electric heater,
the conductive component is an input electrode, one end of which is connected to one of the input terminals, and the other end of which supplies electric power to the electric heater,
at least one of the input electrode has a flow path provided inside thereof, and
the raw fuel is supplied to the reformer through the flow path.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An apparatus for converting a source frame signal at a first frame rate to a destination frame signal at a second frame rate, the apparatus comprising:
a converter for converting the source frame signal to the destination frame signal having a destination clock signal at a destination clock frequency; and
a frequency synthesizer for generating the destination clock signal at the destination clock frequency,
wherein the destination frame signal includes a last horizontal line defined by a last horizontal sync signal and a vertical sync signal, the last horizontal sync signal being the last of a plurality of horizontal sync signals and the vertical sync signal being generated synchronously with the last horizontal sync signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the source frame signal is at a first resolution and the destination frame signal is at a second resolution.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a buffer for storing at least a part of the source frame signal,
wherein the frequency synthesizer adjusts the destination clock frequency by decreasing the destination clock frequency to prevent underflow in the buffer or by increasing the destination clock frequency to prevent overflow in the buffer.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the frequency synthesizer adjusts the destination clock frequency by decreasing the destination clock frequency when the second frame rate is faster than the first frame rate or by increasing the destination clock frequency when the second frame rate is slower than the first frame rate.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first frame rate and the second frame rate are substantially the same.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the converter receives the source frame signal at a source clock frequency, and the destination clock signal is independent of the source clock frequency.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the frequency synthesizer is a phase-locked loop.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the converter is a scaler.
9. A method of frame synchronization for converting a source frame signal to a destination frame signal, wherein the source frame signal is received at a first frame rate and the destination frame signal is output at a second frame rate, the method comprising the following steps:
generating the destination frame signal according to the source frame signal, wherein the destination frame signal includes a destination clock signal at a destination clock frequency;
dynamically adjusting the destination clock frequency; and
generating a vertical sync signal synchronously with a last horizontal sync signal,
wherein the destination frame signal includes a last horizontal line defined by the last horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein the source frame signal is at a first resolution and the destination frame signal is at a second resolution.
11. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of adjusting the destination clock frequency is executed by decreasing the destination clock frequency to prevent underflow or by increasing the destination clock frequency to prevent overflow.
12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of adjusting the destination clock frequency is executed by decreasing the destination clock frequency when the second frame rate is faster than the first frame rate or by increasing the destination clock frequency when the second frame rate is slower than the first frame rate.
13. The method of claim 9 wherein the destination clock frequency has a first resolution such that the first frame rate and the second frame rate are substantially the same.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein the destination clock frequency is adjusted utilizing an adjustment resolution being approximately satisfied by
Adjustment
\u2062

\u2003

\u2062
resolution

<
1
2

\u2062
(
HorizontalVisible
)
HorizontalTotal
\xb7
VerticalTotal
,
wherein the HorizontalVisible parameter refers to the number of visible pixels in each horizontal line, the HorizontalTotalparameter refers to the total number of pixel data for each horizontal line, the VerticalTotal parameter refers to the total number of horizontal lines in each frame.
15. A method of frame synchronization for converting a source frame signal to a destination frame signal, wherein the source frame signal is received at a first frame rate and the destination frame signal is output at a second frame rate, the method comprising the following steps:
generating the destination frame signal according to the source frame signal, wherein the destination frame signal includes a destination clock signal at a destination clock frequency;
dynamically adjusting a period of the destination frame signal; and
generating a vertical sync signal synchronously with a last horizontal sync signal,
wherein the destination frame signal includes a last horizontal line defined by the last horizontal sync signal and the vertical sync signal.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the source frame signal is at a first resolution and the destination frame signal is at a second resolution.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of adjusting the destination clock frequency is executed by decreasing the destination clock frequency to prevent underflow or by increasing the destination clock frequency to prevent overflow.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of adjusting the destination clock frequency is executed by decreasing the destination clock frequency when the second frame rate is faster than the first frame rate or by increasing the destination clock frequency when the second frame rate is slower than the first frame rate.
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the destination clock frequency has a first resolution such that the first frame rate and the second frame rate are substantially the same.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the destination clock frequency is adjusted utilizing an adjustment resolution being approximately satisfied by
Adjustment
\u2062

\u2003

\u2062
resolution

<
1
2

\u2062
(
HorizontalVisible
)
HorizontalTotal
\xb7
VerticalTotal
,
wherein the HorizontalVisible parameter refers to the number of visible pixels in each horizontal line, the HorizontalTotal parameter refers to the total number of pixel data for each horizontal line, the VerticalTotal parameter refers to the total number of horizontal lines in each frame.

1. An azimuth measurement device comprising:
2- or 3-axis geomagnetism detection means for detecting the geomagnetism;
output data acquisition means for acquiring repeatedly a predetermined number of times or more, either the 2-axis output data at the time when the direction of the geomagnetism detection means changes while keeping the 2-axis detecting directions on a predetermined plane, or the 3-axis output data at the time when the direction of the geomagnetism detection means changes in the three-dimensional space;
offset information calculation means for determining a reference point either on 2-axis coordinate space composed of the 2-axis output data or on 3-axis coordinate space composed of the 3-axis output data thereby to estimate the coordinates of the reference point so that the dispersion of the distances from the 2- or 3-axis output data group obtained by the output data acquisition means, to the reference point may be minimized, and for calculating the offset information of the output data of the geomagnetism detection means on the basis of the coordinates of the reference point; and
reliability information calculation means for obtaining first reliability information relating to the reliability of the offset information calculated by said offset information calculation means,
wherein an acceptance threshold value at the time of calculating said offset information is gradually tightened on the basis of the first predetermined number of the recent first reliability information calculated by said reliability information calculation means.
2. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 1, further comprising reliability information calculation means for obtaining second reliability information relating to the reliability of the offset information from the output data acquired latest, wherein an acceptance threshold value at the time of calculating said offset information is loosened, in case the reliability deteriorates, on the basis of second reliability information of the recent second predetermined number calculated by said reliability information calculation means.
3. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 2,
wherein said second reliability information is the distance from the 2- or 3-axis output data obtained by said output data acquisition means, to the reference point.
4. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 2,
wherein said second reliability information is calculated from a geomagnetic inclination angle information calculated from the 3-axis output data obtained by said output data acquisition means.
5. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 2, further comprising first and second external output means for outputting said first and second pieces of reliability information to the outside.
6. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 2,
wherein not only the acceptance threshold value at the time of calculating said offset information but also the data measurement conditions andor the offset information calculation conditions are changed.
7. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 6,
wherein said second reliability information is the distance from the 2- or 3-axis output data obtained by said output data acquisition means, to the reference point.
8. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 6,
wherein said second reliability information is calculated from a geomagnetic inclination angle information calculated from the 3-axis output data obtained by said output data acquisition means.
9. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 6,
wherein said data measurement condition value andor said offset information calculation condition contains a measurement time interval.
10. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 6,
wherein said data measurement condition value andor said offset information calculation condition contains number of data for calculating the offset information.
11. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 6,
wherein said data measurement condition value andor said offset information calculation condition contains said first andor second predetermined number.
12. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 6, further comprising: reliability information calculation means for obtaining third reliability information from said data measurement condition value andor said offset information calculation condition; and third external output means for outputting said third reliability information from said reliability information calculation means.
13. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 1,
wherein said first reliability information is calculated from the dispersion of the recent reference point.
14. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 1,
wherein said first reliability information is calculated from the dispersion of the data of said closes 2- or 3-axis output data group.
15. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 1, further comprising detection means for detecting a specific event, wherein the acceptance threshold value at the time of calculating the offset information in case said event occurs are changed.
16. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 15,
wherein said specific event is a specific operation by an operator.
17. An azimuth measurement device comprising:
3-axis geomagnetism detection means for detecting the geomagnetism;
output data acquisition means for acquiring the 3-axis output data at the time when the direction of said geomagnetism detection means changes in the three-dimensional space, repeatedly a predetermined number of times or more;
offset information calculation means for determining a reference point on three-dimensional coordinates composed of said 3-axis output data, to estimate the coordinates of the reference point from the 3-axis output data group obtained by said output data acquisition means, and for calculating the offset information for the output data of said geomagnetism detection means on the basis of the coordinates of said reference point; and
reliability information calculation means for obtaining second reliability information relating to the reliability of the offset information from the output data obtained latest by said output data acquisition means,
wherein the second reliability information calculated by said reliability information calculation means is calculated from both the geomagnetic inclination angle information expected with the premise that the azimuth measurement device is horizontally held and the geomagnetic inclination angle information calculated from the output data acquired latest by said output data acquisition means.
18. An azimuth measurement device comprising:
2- or 3-axis geomagnetism detection means for detecting the geomagnetism;
output data acquisition means for acquiring several times or more, either the 2-axis output data at the time when the direction of said geomagnetism detection means changes while keeping said 2-axis detecting directions on a predetermined plane or the 3-axis output data at the time when the direction of said geomagnetism detection means changes in the three-dimensional space;
offset information calculation means for estimating the coordinates of the reference point so that the dispersion of the distances from selected 2- or 3-axis output data group to the reference point may be minimized; said reference point estimation means also selecting said 2- or 3-axis output data on the basis of predetermined measurement parameters, and also determining a reference point either on the two-dimensional coordinate composed of said selected 2-axis output data or on the three-dimensional coordinates composed of said selected 3-axis output data, and for calculating the offset information for the output data of said geomagnetism detection means on the basis of a plurality of estimated reference points;
azimuth calculation means for calculating an azimuth from said output data and said offset information; and
reliability information calculation means for calculating the second reliability information of said offset information according to calculation parameters for calculating the reliability information of predetermined offset information, on the basis of at least one of said 2- or 3-axis output data group and said plural reference points.
19. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 18,
wherein said offset information calculation means compares said reliability information with an acceptance threshold value to evaluate whether or not said reliability information is to be adopted as the offset information to be used for the calculation of the azimuth by said azimuth calculation means.
20. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein said acceptance threshold value is changed more strictly as said offset information is adopted a predetermined number of times.
21. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19, further comprising a detection section for detecting the magnetic environment inside and outside of the azimuth measurement device and the change in said magnetic environment,
wherein said acceptance threshold value is loosened in case said detection section detects that said magnetic environment has changed.
22. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 21,
wherein said detection section detects that the magnetic environment has changed, in case the data acquired by said output data acquisition means exceeds a predetermined range.
23. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19, further comprising:
event detection means for detecting either the change in the environment of the azimuth measurement device or the operation of the operator,
wherein said acceptance threshold value is changed in case said event occurs.
24. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 23,
wherein said environment change is a temperature change.
25. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein at least one of said measurement parameters and said calculation parameters are changed, when said acceptance threshold value is changed.
26. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein the reliability information of said offset information contains the information calculated from the dispersion of the plural reference points.
27. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein the reliability information of said offset information contains the information calculated from the dispersion of the data composing said 2- or 3-axis output data group.
28. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein the reliability information of said offset information contains the distance from the 2- or 3-axis output data obtained by said output data acquisition means, to the reference point.
29. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein said measurement parameters contain a measurement interval.
30. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein said measurement parameters contain the variation in data,
wherein said variation is the difference between the output data acquired by said output data acquisition means and the data selected by said offset information calculation means for estimating said reference point, and
wherein said offset information calculation means selects the data, of which said variation is at a predetermined value or higher.
31. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein said measurement parameters contain the number of data for said offset information calculation means to estimate the coordinates of the reference point.
32. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein said calculation parameters contain the number of reference points for calculating the dispersion of said reference points.
33. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19, further comprising output means for outputting at least one of said acceptance threshold value, said measurement parameters and said calculation parameters to the outside.
34. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 19,
wherein said geomagnetism detection means acquires 3-axis output data and calculates geomagnetic inclination angle information from said output data, and
wherein second reliability information is calculated from the value of said geomagnetic inclination angle information.
35. An azimuth measurement method comprising:
the step of acquiring, by using 2- or 3-axis geomagnetism detection means for detecting the geomagnetism, either the 2-axis output data at the time when the direction of said geomagnetism detection means changes or the 3-axis output data at the time when the direction of said geomagnetism detection means changes in the three-dimensional space, a plurality of times or more while keeping said 2-axis detecting directions on a predetermined plane;
the step of selecting said 2- or 3-axis output data on the basis of predetermined measurement parameters;
the step of determining a reference point either on the two-dimensional coordinate composed of said selected 2-axis output data or on the three-dimensional coordinates composed of said selected 3-axis output data, thereby to estimate the coordinates of the reference point so that the dispersion of the distances from said selected 2- or 3-axis output data group to the reference point may be minimized;
the step of calculating the offset information for the output data of said geomagnetism detection means on the basis of said plural reference points estimated;
the step of calculating an azimuth from said output data and said offset information; and
the step of calculating the second reliability information of said offset information according to, calculation parameters for calculating the reliability information of predetermined offset information, on the basis of at least one of said 2- or 3-axis output data group and said plural reference points.
36. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 35,
wherein said offset information calculation step compares said reliability information with an acceptance threshold value to evaluate whether or not said reliability information is to be adopted as the offset information to be used for the calculation of the azimuth.
37. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said acceptance threshold value is changed more strictly as said offset information is adopted a predetermined number of times.
38. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36, further comprising:
the step of detecting that the magnetic environment inside and outside of the azimuth measurement device has changed after the step of acquiring said output data plural times; and
the step of loosening said acceptance threshold value in case it is detected that said magnetic environment has changed.
39. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 38,
wherein said detection step detects that the magnetic environment has changed, in case the data acquired exceeds a predetermined range.
40. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36, further comprising:
the step of detecting either the change in the environment of the azimuth measurement device or the operation of the operator; and
the step of changing said acceptance threshold value in case said event occurs.
41. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 40,
wherein said environment change is a temperature change.
42. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said acceptance threshold value is changed, and
wherein at least one of said measurement parameters and said calculation parameters are changed.
43. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein the reliability information of said offset information contains the information calculated from the dispersion of the plural reference points.
44. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein the reliability information of said offset information contains the information calculated from the dispersion of the data composing said 2- or 3-axis output data group.
45. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein the reliability information of said offset information contains the distance from the 2- or 3-axis output data obtained by said output data acquisition means, to the reference point.
46. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said measurement parameters contain a measurement interval.
47. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said measurement parameters contain the change in data,
wherein said change is the difference between the output data acquired by said output data acquisition means and the data selected by said reference point estimation means, and
wherein said reference point estimation means selects the data, of which said change is at a predetermined value or higher.
48. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said measurement parameters contain the number of data for estimating the coordinates of the reference point.
49. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said calculation parameters contain the number of reference points for calculating the dispersion of said reference points.
50. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36, further comprising the step of outputting at least one of said acceptance threshold value, said measurement parameters and said calculation parameters to the outside.
51. An azimuth measurement method according to claim 36,
wherein said geomagnetism detection step acquires 3-axis output data, further comprising:
the step of calculating geomagnetic inclination angle information from said output data after the step of acquiring said output data plural times; and
the step of calculating second reliability information from the value of said geomagnetic inclination angle information.
52. An azimuth measurement device comprising:
a geomagnetism detector for detecting a geomagnetism;
an output data element for acquiring repeatedly a predetermined number of times or more output data from the geomagnetism detector at a time when the direction of the geomagnetism detector changes;
a reference point estimator for, determining a reference point either on a coordinate space composed of the output data thereby to estimate the coordinates of the reference point by a statistical method so that the dispersion of the distances from the output data group obtained by the output data element, to the reference point may be minimized;
an offset information calculator for calculating offset information of the output data of the geomagnetism detector on the basis of the coordinates of the reference point calculated by the reference point estimator; and
a first reliability information calculator for calculating reliability information relating to the reliability of the offset information calculated by said offset information calculator,
wherein an acceptance threshold value at the time of calculating said offset information is gradually tightened on the basis of the first predetermined number of the recent first reliability information calculated by said first reliability information calculator.
53. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 52, further comprising second reliability information calculator for relating to the reliability of the offset information from the output data acquired latest, wherein an acceptance threshold value at the time of calculating said offset information is loosened, in case the reliability deteriorates, on the basis of second reliability information of the recent second predetermined number calculated by said second reliability information calculator.
54. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 53,
wherein said second reliability; information is the distance from the output data obtained by said output data element, to the reference point.
55. An azimuth measurement device according to claim 53,
wherein said second reliability information is calculated from a geomagnetic inclination angle information calculated from the output data obtained by said output data element.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An image rendering apparatus comprising:\u2014
an image data unit for obtaining volumetric image data representative of a three-dimensional region;
a rendering unit configured to perform a rendering process on the volumetric image data that includes a sampling process that comprises, for each of a plurality of sampling paths, determining a respective color or grayscale value for a corresponding pixel based on a plurality of sampled points along the sampling path, wherein:\u2014
for each sampling path, the sampling process performed by the rendering unit comprises for each of at least some of the sampled points:\u2014calculating a significance factor for the sampled point based on at least accumulated opacity along the sampling path for the sampled point;
selecting for the sampled point one of a plurality of rendering calculation processes in dependence on the calculated significance factor; and
performing the selected rendering calculation process to obtain at least one image data value for the sampled point; and wherein

for each sampling path the rendering unit is configured to determine the color or grayscale value for the corresponding pixel based on the determined image data values for the plurality of sampled points for the path.
2. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for each of the sampling paths, and for said each of at least some of the sampled points, the calculating of the significance factor for the sampled point is based on accumulated opacity along the sampling path for the sampled point and opacity at the sampled point.
3. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rendering calculation processes comprise a first rendering calculation process and a second rendering calculation process, wherein the second rendering calculation process is at least one of less complex, less time consuming, requires less processing power, or requires less memory than the first rendering calculation process.
4. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, for at least some of the sampling paths, the rendering unit is configured to select the first rendering calculation process for at least some of the sampled points and to select the second rendering calculation process for at least some other of the sampled points.
5. An medical image rendering apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the second rendering calculation process at least one of omits a calculation that is included in the first rendering calculation process or includes a simplified version of the calculation that is included in the first rendering calculation process.
6. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the calculation of the first rendering calculating process that is omitted or simplified in the second rendering calculation process comprises at least one of:\u2014
a pre-integration calculation;
a lighting calculation;
a shading calculation;
a segmentation interpolation calculation;
an object-to-object blending calculation;
an irradiance calculation of a global illumination algorithm;
a shadow ray calculation;
an ambient occlusion calculation.
7. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the calculation of the first rendering calculating process that is omitted or simplified in the second rendering calculation process comprises a lighting calculation that includes calculation of a normal to a sampled point and determining light level based on the normal to the sampled point, and the second calculation process omits the calculation of the normal to the sampled point in determining light level.
8. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 7, wherein for the second calculation process the lighting calculation comprises determining light level for a sampled point based on at least one of ambient light level, a proportion of diffuse light, or a proportion of specular light.
9. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, for volumetric image data and a sampling path that comprises, for increasing distance from a source of the sampling path, sampled points corresponding to one of air or vacuum, followed by sampled points corresponding to anatomy of a patient or other subject, the selecting of one of the plurality of rendering calculation processes by the rendering unit comprises:\u2014
selecting the second rendering calculation process for substantially all of the sampled points that correspond to one of air or vacuum;
selecting the first rendering calculation process for at least some of a sub-set of the sampled points corresponding to anatomy of the patient or other subject;
selecting the second rendering calculation process for substantially all of a further sub-set of the sampled points corresponding to anatomy of the patient or other subject,
wherein the further sub-set of sampled points are further from the source of the sampling path than the first sub-set of sampled points.
10. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rendering unit is configured, for each of at least some of the sampled points, to compare the significance factor for the sampled point to a threshold and to perform the selecting of one of the plurality of the rendering calculation processes in dependence on the outcome of the comparison.
11. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determined image data values for the plurality of sampled points comprise color or grayscale values and, for each sampling path, the color or grayscale value for the corresponding pixel is determined by the rendering unit based on the color or grayscale value for each sampled point of the sampling path, the opacity for each sampled point, and the accumulated opacity for each sampled point.
12. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rendering process comprises a ray casting process, and the sampling paths comprise ray paths.
13. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the rendering process comprises a shear warp rendering process and the sampling paths pass through a sheared volume.
14. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein for each sampling path the sampling process comprises, for each of the at least some of the sampled points, determining a respective opacity value for the sampled point and the a respective accumulated opacity value for the sampled point.
15. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 14, wherein determining an opacity value for the sampled point comprises determining an intensity value for the sampled point and at least one of: determining the opacity value from the intensity value in accordance with a transfer function, determining the opacity value from the intensity value in accordance with a classifier.
16. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 14, wherein determining an accumulated opacity value for a sampled point comprises determining the accumulated opacity value for the sampled point from the opacities of a plurality of previous sampled points on the sampling path.
17. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the volumetric image data comprises opacity values and at least one of color or grayscale values for positions in the three-dimensional region.
18. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the volumetric image data comprises intensity values, the rendering unit is configured to obtain converted volumetric image data by converting the intensity values to opacity values and at least one of color or grayscale values for positions in the three-dimensional region, and the determining of a respective opacity for a sampled point and a respective accumulated opacity for a sampled point comprises determining the respective opacity value and accumulated opacity value from the converted volumetric image data.
19. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the converting of the intensity values comprises at least one of converting the intensity values in accordance with a transfer function, converting the intensity values in accordance with a classifier.
20. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the rendering unit is configured to one of:\u2014
convert the intensity values as part of the sampling process;
convert the intensity values in a pre-conversion process before the sampling process.
21. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of:\u2014
the volumetric image data is comprises at least one of CT data, MRI data, PET data;
the volumetric image data is obtained from at least one of CT data, MRI data, PET data.
22. An image rendering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the significance factor is representative of a significance of the sampled point to the color or grayscale value for the corresponding pixel.
23. An image rendering apparatus comprising a display unit configured to display a rendered image using the determined pixel color or grayscale values.
24. A method of rendering comprising:\u2014
obtaining volumetric image data representative of a three-dimensional region;
performing a rendering process on the volumetric image data that includes a sampling process that comprises, for each of a plurality of sampling paths, determining a respective color or grayscale value for a corresponding pixel based on a plurality of sampled points along the sampling path, wherein:\u2014
for each sampling path, the sampling process performed by the rendering unit comprises for each of at least some of the sampled points:\u2014calculating a significance factor for the sampled point based on at least accumulated opacity along the sampling path for the sampled point;
selecting for the sampled point one of a plurality of rendering calculation processes in dependence on the calculated significance factor; and
performing the selected rendering calculation process to obtain at least one image data value for the sampled point;

for each sampling path determining the color or grayscale value for the corresponding pixel based on the determined image data values for the plurality of sampled points for the path; and
displaying a rendered image using the determined pixel color or grayscale values.
25. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory storage medium storing instructions that are executable to perform a method according to claim 24.